Chaos and Form
by Estoma
Summary: 'Peeta Mellark revealed a twisted darkness hidden behind his blond eyes and blond curls as he drove the arrow from his tourniquet into Katniss' heart. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.' 18 ways the games could have ended.


**Author's Note: For Emily, in the GGE 2014. I've been wanting to try out the one/two sentence meme for a while. **

**If any of these tickle your fancy, shoot me a message/review, because I need to narrow down to a handful to turn into oneshots. **

_In the space between chaos and form there was another chance._

_01._

After the games, some said it was nobility, but the simple truth was that Cato was just _so damn tired_ when he stepped off the cornucopia and gave District 12 their victory. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_02._

The star-crossed lovers stalled so long by the lake that the gamemakers got impatient; when all the fuss was over, Seneca Crane gave a mournful interview explaining that one of the landmines moved by the clever child from District 3 had failed to detonate until now. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_03._

Romance can only raise the ratings so far, and as the lovers hesitated by the lake, the audience grew sated of their charade and the mutts were sent out again. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_04._

Ironically, as she drew back her arrow, aiming for Cato's unprotected hand, Katniss slipped in Peeta's blood and they all went over the edge to the ravenous mutts; it was a shame that only one of the trio had body-armour on. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_05._

Peeta Mellark revealed a twisted darkness hidden behind his blond eyes and blond curls as he drove the arrow from his tourniquet into Katniss' heart. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_06._

They both pretended it wasn't her plan all along, as Katniss hesitated with her hand by her mouth, just long enough for Peeta to swallow his handful of poison. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_07._

It turned out that the mutts were too fast for the children; they caught Peeta first, then Katniss, turning at his screams, and finally Cato, with his hand on the near-safety of the cornucopia. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_08._

Katniss didn't show any remorse when her arrow found Cato's eye and he fell to the mutts, taking Peeta with him, because they were just playing at being in love, right? Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_09._

It's Katniss' choice, and she told herself that this was what Peeta would have wanted, but his screams as the mutts tore into him did not sound like declarations of love and self-sacrifice. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_10._

In the end, Cato's training won out; neither of the lovers expected him to fight his way back onto the golden horn, but when he did, he ended their charade with one good shove and the slippery metal provided their end. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_11._

All the bookies shook their heads when Cato dealt with injured Peeta, kicking him casually off the edge of the horn, as one might shove a dog away, and then overpowered Katniss (he did outweigh her by eighty pounds); they might not give the best payouts, but it never does to bet against the favourite. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_12._

Few were surprised when Katniss took Peeta up on his offer and shot him in the heart; it took a fool not to see that the girl's kisses were lies with her lips shut (or open). Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_13._

The girl on fire burnt like acid when she turned on her lover, breaking his heart with a swift arrow; she was never a popular victor after that, but there were always some wanting to hire her, to do things that they couldn't face doing to a _decent_ human being. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_14._

Instead of releasing the mutts, the gamemakers opted for a fight that would have blood seeping into the lake, and they got it when Cato's spear shattered Katniss' ribcage and her arrow pierced his eye while Peeta watched. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_15._

Turns out, there was one more landmine planted by the lake; a posthumous laugh for a child sent back to District 3 with dull eyes and a severed spinal cord. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_16._

At a touch of a gamemaker's control, the mutts leapt onto the cornucopia itself, and Peeta was lucky enough to be cowering behind Cato and Katniss when they attacked. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_17._

Katniss knew she'd feel the dark burn of guilt for the rest of her life when she did not stop to help Peeta climb the golden horn, so, it was lucky in a way, that Cato met her at the top with a knife in her gut. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.

_18._

In the end, words of love and kisses in the dark meant a hell of a lot less than their own beating hearts, and both lovers scramble for a weapon, turning the grass by the lake red as he snatched the knife from her hand. Really, it couldn't have ended any other way.


End file.
